WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:03.439 Just grab our bibles, and to grab our bibles and 2 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:08.759 turn to Exodus chapter eighteen. Exodus eighteen. If you don't 3 00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:10.560 have a Bible with you, just raise your hand. We're 4 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:13.439 passing those out right now. If you need a bulletin, 5 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:15.679 just raise your hand or a pen or anything like that. 6 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:18.160 Just catch the eye of one of our ushers and 7 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.160 keep your hands up and we'll find you and we'll 8 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:24.079 get you what you need. Might take a second, but 9 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:28.440 we'll find you. In turn to Exodus chapter eighteen. This 10 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:30.920 is a good time for me to remind you also 11 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:33.280 to please fill out a connection card. You can scan 12 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:35.520 the QR code on the bulletin or on the seatback, 13 00:00:35.799 --> 00:00:38.840 and we just ask that everybody fill out a connection card. 14 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:41.679 That's not just for guests, although if you are a guest, 15 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:43.880 we'd love to have your contact information. We'll follow up 16 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:45.799 with you, love to connect with you, but also for 17 00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:48.840 members too. It's an important pastoral tool that we know 18 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:53.560 that you are here by name. That's very very important 19 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:57.399 for our shepherding. And you can leave a prayer request. 20 00:00:56.439 --> 00:00:59.920 We have a whole team of men and women who 21 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:02.320 who will be praying with you and for you through 22 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:11.760 the week. For those prayer requests. Exodus chapter eighteen. It's 23 00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:14.560 a lot to it. So I'm gonta preach fast. You 24 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:19.000 listen fast, and then we're going to have the Lord's 25 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:23.200 Supper at the conclusion of our service this morning. So 26 00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:28.000 Exodus eighteen. Exodus is written. 27 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:29.560 Early on. 28 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:34.359 In the life of the people of God to help 29 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:40.840 them understand themselves, and especially to understand God and his work. 30 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:46.519 His work and his word is foundational. Exodus is foundational 31 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:52.079 to the people of God understanding how God works. And 32 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:55.480 I think it's actually foundational for us in ways that 33 00:01:55.519 --> 00:02:00.319 we often lose sight of, and in this particular pathsage, 34 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:02.239 I think is something that we need. 35 00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:02.920 To come to. 36 00:02:03.079 --> 00:02:06.120 I know I do over and over again and be 37 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:12.520 reminded about how God works among his people. And so 38 00:02:12.520 --> 00:02:14.240 I'm going to read this passage for us, this whole 39 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:20.479 chapter I'm going to dive in. So Exodus eighteen, if everybody's. 40 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:25.360 There, I will read aloud. You can read along. 41 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:32.759 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses's father in law, heard. 42 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:35.280 Of all that God had. 43 00:02:35.159 --> 00:02:39.159 Done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the 44 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:44.039 Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. Now Jethro Moses's 45 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:47.800 father in law had taken Zipporah, Moses's wife, after he 46 00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:51.080 had sent her home along with her two sons. The 47 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:53.599 name of one was Gersham, for he had said, I 48 00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:56.960 have been a sojourner in a foreign land. And the 49 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.520 name of the other Eliezer, for he said, the God 50 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:04.199 of my father was my help and delivered me from 51 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:08.800 the sort of Pharaoh. Jethro, Moses's father in law, came 52 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:12.280 with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness. 53 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:13.960 Where he was encamped at the Mountain of God. 54 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:18.360 And he said, and when he sent word to Moses saying, I, 55 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:21.400 your father in law, Jethro am coming to you with 56 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:24.919 your wife and her two sons with her. And Moses 57 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.400 went out to meet his father in law and bowed 58 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:30.360 down and kissed him, and they asked each other of 59 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:34.360 their welfare, and went into the tent. And then Moses 60 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:37.280 told his father in law all the Lord had done 61 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:41.319 to Pharaoh unto the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the 62 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.960 hardships that had come upon them in the way, and 63 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:49.520 how the Lord had delivered them. Jethro rejoiced for all 64 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:51.879 the good that the Lord had done to Israel in 65 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:53.319 that he had delivered them out of the hand of 66 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:58.960 the Egyptians. And Jethro said, blessed be the Lord who 67 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:01.000 has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, 68 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:03.039 out of the hand of Pharaoh, and has delivered the 69 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:06.120 people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I 70 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:09.919 know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because 71 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:15.360 in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people. And Jethro, 72 00:04:15.960 --> 00:04:19.439 Moses's father in law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices 73 00:04:19.480 --> 00:04:22.639 to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of 74 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:26.000 Israel to eat bread with Moses's father in law before God. 75 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:32.720 The next day, h Moses sat to judge the people, 76 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:36.560 and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. 77 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:40.160 When Moses' father in law saw all that he was 78 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:42.639 doing for the people, he said, what is this that 79 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:46.040 you are doing for the people? Why do you sit 80 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:47.920 alone and all the people stand. 81 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:49.279 Around you from morning until evening? 82 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:54.720 And Moses said to his father in law, because the 83 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:57.079 people come to me to inquire of God. And when 84 00:04:57.079 --> 00:04:58.800 they have a dispute, they come to me, and I 85 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:01.920 decide between one person and another. I make them know 86 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:07.079 the statutes of God and his laws. Moses' father in 87 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:11.000 law said to him, what you're doing is not good. 88 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:16.560 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, 89 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:19.560 for the thing is too heavy for you. You're not 90 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:23.519 able to do it alone. Now obey my voice. I 91 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:27.560 will give you advice, and God be with you. You 92 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:30.000 shall represent the people before God and bring their cases 93 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:32.360 to God. And you shall warn them about the statutes 94 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:34.319 and the laws, make them know the way in which 95 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:39.279 they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look 96 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:42.639 for able men from all the people, men who fear God, 97 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:46.120 who are trustworthy and hate a bribe. And place such 98 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:49.199 men over the chief over the people, as chiefs of thousands, 99 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:52.839 of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them 100 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:56.079 judge the people at all times. Every great matter they 101 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:57.879 shall bring to you, but in any small matter they 102 00:05:57.879 --> 00:06:01.600 shall decide themselves, so it will be easier. 103 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:03.800 For you, and they will bear the burden with you. 104 00:06:05.160 --> 00:06:08.279 And if you do this, God will direct you, and 105 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:11.439 you will be able to endure, and all this people 106 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:15.240 will go to their place in peace. So Moses listened 107 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:17.439 to the voice of his father in law and did 108 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:22.120 all that he had said, Moses chose able men out 109 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:25.360 of all Israel, and made them heads over people, chiefs 110 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:28.920 of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties of tens, and they 111 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:31.959 judge the people at all times. Any heard case they 112 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:35.920 brought to Moses, any small matter, they decided themselves. And 113 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:39.759 then Moses let his father in law depart, and he 114 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:41.839 went away to his own country. 115 00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:48.519 This is the word of the Lord. 116 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:57.360 I had a friend, as a conversation I probably had 117 00:06:57.560 --> 00:07:03.160 fifteen years ago. This friend of mine was doing really 118 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:09.879 good stuff. He was doing good things, and who's working 119 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:17.439 hard at these good things. But in the midst of 120 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:21.800 it all, as much as he was accomplishing and the 121 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:29.040 good that he was doing, he was very discouraged. He 122 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:31.439 was pretty beaten down. Actually, when I talked to him, 123 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:40.720 and he said, Josh, it's like this, we had this. 124 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:44.000 It's like. 125 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:53.360 I'm in this group of people and I'm the only 126 00:07:53.439 --> 00:08:01.879 one who knows how to bake a cake, and the 127 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:07.199 people keep coming, and I can only bake cake as 128 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:10.720 fast as I can bake cake, and there's more of 129 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:12.639 them than there are of me, and there's more of 130 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:13.319 them every. 131 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:17.040 Day, and I can't keep up. 132 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:21.519 And what I'm left with is crumbs, and that's all 133 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:26.680 they get. I feel like the only thing they're getting 134 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:27.079 from me. 135 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:30.920 Is crumbs. 136 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.039 Good guy, good guy as you could ever meet, doing 137 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:41.600 the best kind of things they ever feel like my 138 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:51.919 friend as a leader, maybe as a maybe as a 139 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:57.039 small group leader, if you lead a small group, or 140 00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:01.960 or in any kind of ministry or any kind of 141 00:09:02.039 --> 00:09:10.679 leadership at all, as a person who just is looking 142 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:14.840 to do good for people and disciple people and mentor 143 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:18.519 people and lead and care for just caring for people 144 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:24.159 real quick, it can feel like you're left with crumbs. 145 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:32.360 All they get is crumbs. Or maybe you know. 146 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:35.759 What it's like on the other side, and you're like, 147 00:09:36.039 --> 00:09:41.879 I'm looking for some help. I'm looking for some even guidance, 148 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:50.480 and I feel like all I can get is crumbs. 149 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:56.600 Maybe you're here this morning and you're not even a 150 00:09:56.679 --> 00:10:01.039 Christian and saying, I are you know the kind of 151 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:02.000 thing you're talking about. 152 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:07.480 Even though I'm not a believer in Jesus Christ, I'm. 153 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:10.159 Already picking up this dynamic and I know what this is, 154 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:15.039 I know what this feels like. If that's you, I 155 00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:19.200 would just say, if you'll listen, I think you might 156 00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:26.919 pick off on some of the extraordinary ways, extraordinary ways 157 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:33.600 that God helps, but also some of the ordinary ways 158 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:37.840 that God helps even in just this kind of situation. 159 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:49.039 Because this story is about leadership crumbs, and it does 160 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:52.720 not start, it does not start with a discouraged person. 161 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:56.759 And actually, we could say this story is kind of 162 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:59.759 like four scenes. I think this story kind of breaks 163 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:06.320 down pretty nicely into four scenes scenes and it starts 164 00:11:06.759 --> 00:11:12.600 see one full of blessing, and we could even say impressing. 165 00:11:14.360 --> 00:11:19.120 We'll call scene one blessing and impressing. Here's what I mean. 166 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:25.600 Here's how the camera opens. Jethro, Moses's father in law. 167 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:28.799 The scripture says, like over and over again, kind of 168 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:32.639 hammering away at that. Jethro, Moses's father in law, is 169 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:37.840 hearing things, right, That's what verse says. Verse one says, 170 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:44.000 Jethro is hearing how God is providing and helping Moses. 171 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:47.000 Now, Jethro is the priest of Midian. 172 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:49.960 We don't know a lot about what that means, but 173 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:53.120 I think it's safe to say that then Jethro is. 174 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:54.159 A spiritual guy. 175 00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:58.120 He's a religious guy, and he is probably not a 176 00:11:58.159 --> 00:12:03.320 believer in the Living God, the God of Israel. 177 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:04.480 But he's hearing things. 178 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:12.519 And so Jethro shows up with Moses's wife and sons. 179 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:16.399 He's been, he's had them for safe keeping for a 180 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:20.039 little while, and now he's bringing them to Moses. And 181 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:22.200 he shows up, and you can just see through in 182 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:26.799 verses two through six, like even Moses's kids are named 183 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:29.600 in such a way as to say, God has been 184 00:12:29.639 --> 00:12:33.120 helping me through my hardships. His first his first kid's name. 185 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:36.759 Is wandering right hardship, and. 186 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:42.480 His second kid's name is God helps. Already, you see 187 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:47.039 the pattern hardship help. And I'm sure there's a sweet 188 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:52.879 reunion with Moses and his wife and his kids. But 189 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:58.720 the camera stays on Jethro, right, That's how scripture has 190 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:06.600 it tracking Jethro. Why maybe it's because we're about to 191 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:11.279 see how this priest of Midian responds to the true 192 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:14.840 God and the way God helps. Or maybe it's because 193 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:19.679 we're about to see how Jethro becomes an instrument in 194 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:25.360 God's hand for help. But the scripture has the camera 195 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:29.240 tracking Jethro. Jethro and Moses meet up, and they start 196 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:32.039 to catch up, says in verse seven. They ask about 197 00:13:32.039 --> 00:13:36.679 each other's welfare. Hey, Moses, been a while, I know Jethro, 198 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:38.039 we should talk. 199 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:45.600 They go into the tent and he tells Jethro. 200 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:52.000 Verse eight says, all the Lord has done all the hardships, 201 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:53.440 and how the. 202 00:13:53.399 --> 00:14:00.639 Lord helped them. Hardship help, hardship help. 203 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:02.120 Man. 204 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:07.360 We were stuck in Egypt, but God helped through planks. 205 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:11.799 Man. We were up against the Red Sea and God helped. 206 00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:13.399 He split the sea. 207 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:17.320 Man. We were hungry and God helped. He sent manna. 208 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:20.360 Then we were thirsty and God helped. He sent water 209 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:27.480 from a rock. I can't help it. You know that 210 00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:31.919 this reminds me of this church. I mean, naturally, if 211 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:38.480 you've been around for a while. Hardship God helps. We're 212 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:42.639 setting up and tearing down in an elementary school. God helps, 213 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:46.519 and he gets us to a place. Covid hits, Gold's 214 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:51.159 gym stops gimming. We get to move in one thing 215 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:54.200 after the next thing. You had just been a little 216 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:56.960 here a little while. You've seen how God had responded 217 00:14:57.000 --> 00:15:00.600 to every hardship. But not only that, it reminds me 218 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:03.240 of how God has responded to us in the hardship 219 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:04.960 of sin and lostness. 220 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:07.000 We like sheep, have gone astray. 221 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:11.960 We were dead in our trespasses and Yet God laid 222 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:15.320 on Christ the iniquity of us all, and saved us, 223 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:19.679 and forgave us and gave us to him himself as 224 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:23.039 a people hardship help. 225 00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:26.799 Jet throw. 226 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:30.960 Hears all of this, and he puts his confidence in 227 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:32.080 the True and Living God. 228 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:37.120 You see it. Verse nine, he's rejoicing with Moses. 229 00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:41.679 Man, God, God does stuff. 230 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:45.200 Verse ten, blessed be the Lord. 231 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:49.759 He finally uses the covenant name of God, and in 232 00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:55.879 verse eleven he says, I know now, I know, yahweh, 233 00:15:56.279 --> 00:16:02.519 the God you worship is greater than all gods. He 234 00:16:02.679 --> 00:16:06.759 just responds to the testimony of Moses as God as 235 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:09.600 Moses just lays out like God did this, and he 236 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:11.759 helped this way, and he helped this way, and he 237 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:12.399 helped this way. 238 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:13.039 Listen. 239 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:15.960 I preach a lot of sermons, and I know God 240 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:20.519 uses them, But what I have seen God use over 241 00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:26.200 and over and over as well is just all y'all's testimonies. 242 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:31.919 When you open up your mouth and tell of what 243 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:34.440 God has done, he helped this way and this way 244 00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:37.559 and this way and this way. 245 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.639 God uses that. I watch that. 246 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:48.840 When I open up my mouth. Let me just challenge you. 247 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:51.360 There are some people here who are not Christians. There 248 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:54.360 are some people here who are, and I just want 249 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:56.200 to challenge you to find. 250 00:16:55.960 --> 00:17:01.320 Each other and metaphorically go back to the tent, right, 251 00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:02.720 just take them to your house. 252 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:06.519 You want to hear what God has done and open 253 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:08.759 up your mouth and testify. 254 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:09.559 To what God has done. 255 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:12.279 God uses that over and over and over again, just 256 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:14.920 like he does here with Jethro. And Jethro is listening 257 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:18.519 and he goes, if God has done that, I'm gonna 258 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:25.319 trust him, and he offers up Verse twelve, says burnt 259 00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:29.400 offerings and sacrifices. He goes to worship the Lord, and 260 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:35.480 then Jethro hangs out with Moses and Moses's brother Aaron 261 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:37.640 and all the elders of Israel for. 262 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:40.160 The rest of the night. They have a hangout. 263 00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:44.119 And there is nothing like hanging out with old people, 264 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:48.319 like good old guys who know how to tell stories, 265 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:54.799 which I am sure Jethro did. This is a hangout. 266 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:59.640 It is a scene of blessing. It's a scene of impressing. 267 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:03.960 This is a good feeling when you are celebrating God's 268 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:07.039 blessings and help, when you are seeing people trust Him 269 00:18:07.079 --> 00:18:09.359 based on the testimony that you have shared. When you 270 00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:11.079 are impressing your father in law. 271 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:15.680 It's a good day when. 272 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:18.920 He's genuinely impressed, not just saying something nice like oh 273 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:23.880 that's real nice, like when he's like, let's hang out. 274 00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:29.799 It's a good day. It's a good night. 275 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:37.319 You know what's coming the next morning. And it's not good. 276 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:39.920 That's our next scene. 277 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:42.400 Could if you call scene one blessing and impressing, you 278 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:47.400 call scene two not good. It is not good when 279 00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:51.799 your father in law goes from genuinely impressed to markedly 280 00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:57.720 and vocally unimpressed. Because verse thirteen says the next day, 281 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:03.720 bleary eyed Moses is up early, doing his leadership. 282 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.680 Thing all day long. 283 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:10.599 Verse fourteen, his father in law sees him, and he says. 284 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:11.960 Why are you doing all this? 285 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:20.359 And Moses seems to mishear the question because he answers 286 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:24.559 this way fifteen and sixteen. Moses says to his father 287 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:28.160 in law, because when the people come to me to 288 00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:30.400 inquire of God, when they have a dispute, they come 289 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:32.160 to me, and I decide between one person and another. 290 00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:35.599 There's a lot of counseling and dispute resolution here. Right. 291 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:37.519 I make them know the statutes of God. There's a 292 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:38.519 lot of teaching. 293 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:39.680 And his laws. 294 00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:46.680 Right, I'm praying, I'm interceding, I'm shepherding, I'm teaching. God 295 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:52.480 wants his people cared for. And this is good, Jethrow. 296 00:19:54.680 --> 00:20:04.079 And Jethrow says Moses, this is not. You seem to 297 00:20:04.119 --> 00:20:06.359 be answering the question why are you doing all this? 298 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:10.319 I'm asking the question why are you doing all this? 299 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:17.680 What you are doing verse seventeen, what you are doing 300 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.319 is not good. 301 00:20:21.799 --> 00:20:23.000 And in eighteen. 302 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:27.680 He says this, you and the people with you will 303 00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:33.160 certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy 304 00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:34.720 for you. 305 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:35.279 You are not. 306 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:43.279 Able to do it alone. There's no coordination of the care. 307 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:50.759 There are no levels to the leadership, there are no 308 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:53.759 spans to the supervision. And there is no sharing of 309 00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:58.599 the shepherding. You think you're doing good, but you're not. 310 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:04.839 What you're doing is not good. And Moses, there are 311 00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:08.240 two parts to how this goes. Number one is this, 312 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:16.519 you will crumble verse eighteen. You'll wear yourself out. I'm 313 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:20.000 seeing it already. You're up early, even after our hangout, 314 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:22.880 which was great, it was awesome. We should have done that. 315 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:26.880 Your brother is hilarious. I'm glad we hung out. And 316 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:31.279 now you're up early and you're up late. God's blessed you, 317 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:33.079 but he hasn't blessed you with more than twenty four 318 00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:34.359 hours in a day or seven days. 319 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:38.319 In a week. Moses. I don't. 320 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:42.079 Even if you had more time, even if you're like 321 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:45.160 a super black belt, getting things done, got you to 322 00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:48.799 do lists and your projects and all that all ironed out, 323 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:53.000 keeping track and doing weekly reviews. I've seen the line 324 00:21:53.039 --> 00:22:00.000 of people. It will never end. There will always be 325 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.799 more needs to pray for, more counsel to give, more 326 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:07.400 troubles to shepherd, more doctrine to teach. It's too heavy 327 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:14.200 now and it's only going to get heavier. It's not good. 328 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:15.759 You will crumble. 329 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:19.000 But not only that. 330 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:24.279 Here's the second part to how this goes, Moses. Everyone 331 00:22:24.359 --> 00:22:29.519 just gets crumbs. These people, the people you care about, 332 00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:31.480 everyone will just get crumbs. 333 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:33.839 They're standing in line. Their needs are real. 334 00:22:33.880 --> 00:22:36.440 They need more intercession, they need more counsel, they need 335 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:38.119 more shepherding, they need more teaching. 336 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:40.359 They need these things in rich supply. 337 00:22:41.880 --> 00:22:43.319 And there are people in the back of the line 338 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:44.960 you're not getting to, and the ones you are getting 339 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:52.920 to you're rushing, and everyone just gets crumbs. It's like 340 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:59.119 my friend saying, I feel like I'm in this giant 341 00:22:59.160 --> 00:23:00.599 group of people and I'm the only one who knows 342 00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:06.799 how to bake a cake, and I can bake the 343 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:12.359 great cake, and he can even bake a big cake. 344 00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:21.279 But in the end, everybody just gets crumbs. So no 345 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:28.920 matter how well he does, he's discouraged. 346 00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:44.200 They're hungry. Without multiplication, leaders crumble and people get crumbs. 347 00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:46.160 That's the thing. 348 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:56.599 Without multiplication, leaders crumble and people get crumbs. I've sat 349 00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:05.720 with so many people who have felt this. Pastors for sure, 350 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:16.200 lay elders, small group leaders, people who are just working 351 00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:19.240 hard to do the job of mentoring and discipling others, 352 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:27.119 parachurch leaders, Sunday school teachers, counselors, all of those types 353 00:24:27.160 --> 00:24:29.480 I've sat with, and some of them have wept over 354 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:34.599 this situation because they feel and maybe you have felt this, 355 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:36.960 maybe you're feeling this right now. If you're a leader 356 00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:40.759 in any setting, you will feel this. They feel the 357 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:45.200 weight of real needs for rich leadership, and they feel 358 00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:51.200 the crumbling. But even more they feel the people that 359 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:53.200 they care about are getting crumbs. 360 00:24:55.720 --> 00:24:57.319 And there's leaders that. 361 00:24:57.319 --> 00:25:00.279 Are earnestly trying to do good and there are people 362 00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:03.680 who are earnestly looking for good and the results are 363 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:05.279 not good. 364 00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:08.400 It's a problem. 365 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:20.000 And the problem is without multiplication, leaders crumble. 366 00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:26.400 And people get crumbs. It's a problem. 367 00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:35.759 That'd be a great spot for an amen, because I 368 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:40.079 know you've felt this. I know you have felt this 369 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:48.279 either from the crumbling place or from the crumbs place, 370 00:25:49.960 --> 00:25:59.400 or probably both. It's a problem. What's the solution. Well, 371 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:05.400 God's help is the solution. God's help is the solution. 372 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:11.319 That's scene three right. Scene one blessing and impressing. Scene 373 00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:19.319 two not good. Scene three, God's help because the same 374 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:24.319 God that brought help to every hardship is bringing help again, 375 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:26.960 says in verse nineteen. 376 00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:32.599 Now obey my voice. I will give you advice, and 377 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:34.480 God be with you. 378 00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:40.720 And then he gives them. He gives Moses this, and 379 00:26:40.839 --> 00:26:44.720 what he gives to Moses. I think jeth Throw so 380 00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:47.640 much for starting with this. This just makes me like 381 00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:51.680 Jethrow more. And I was already in on Jethrow. I've 382 00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:56.880 got I'm holding all my Jethrow stock. Because he starts 383 00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:01.000 with this, He starts with affirmation. He starts with look 384 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:03.160 look look look look look look look look look look 385 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:06.319 look you're doing good, Moses, you are doing good. You 386 00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:08.000 are doing good. What you're doing is not good, but 387 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:11.759 it's good. It's not good, but it is good. You 388 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:14.240 keep it up, man, You keep up what you're doing. 389 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:16.559 You got to keep up the intercession. You got to 390 00:27:16.680 --> 00:27:19.000 keep up the teaching, You got to keep up the shepherding. 391 00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:21.640 Keep doing these things you get. 392 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:22.319 You gotta do it. 393 00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:37.279 But you need people to help you. You things under 394 00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:42.839 your care can feel like a crumbling situation, even when 395 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:46.640 you are doing good and godly things that you need. 396 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:49.319 To keep doing. You can't stop. 397 00:27:52.920 --> 00:28:00.359 But verse twenty one and twenty two. But actually he 398 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:06.960 says moreover and not but but and in addition, also 399 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:12.599 with moreover, look for able men from all the people, 400 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:17.759 men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe. 401 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:21.559